Designs by Lee, Inc.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because it is not a resolution.
I agree that I did contract with the company to plant the rhododendron. The plants they provided were the wrong color. I didn't know they were the wrong color until they bloomed, which they did not do until the second year after they were planted. It's very possible that the business knew they were giving me the incorrect plants and removed the buds before they were planted to hide this information from me.
When the plants finally bloomed the following spring, I immediately informed Designs by Lee that they had provided me with the wrong color plants. The plants were perfectly healthy, but they were not the color I had contracted for.
The original incorrect plants were replaced at no charge to me--not because of Designs by Lee's guarantee, but because of the mistake they made in providing me with the incorrect plants. This replacement had nothing to do with their guarantee. It was because they made a mistake.
Four of the replacement plants subsequently died, within the specified guarantee of 1 year. When I contacted the business, first I was told that the plants would be replaced, but she didn't know how long it would take to get them in. Then I was told that I would have to pay half of the labor to re-install the plants. Then I was told that I would have to pay 50% of the price of the plants AND half the labor.
Not wanting to pay this business any more money than I already had, I said that I would pick up the plants myself and would not require the installation--and I would be willing to forgo any further guarantees, but I would not pay any more money. At this point the owner said that they would do absolutely nothing for me, and hung up the telephone.
I am willing to withdraw my complaint if Designs by Lee provides me with four healthy plants as promised in the original estimate, which I will pick up myself (unless they prefer to drop them off at my house), and I will forgo any further guarantees from the company, and will no longer communicate with the company for any reason.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Re:  Complaint ID [redacted]
 
Regarding the letter we received from the Revdex.com dated June 25, 2014, we would like to respond to this complaint.
 
Designs by Lee was contracted by [redacted] in June 2011 to plant 5 Rhododendrons.  2 years later,...

she called and complained it was the wrong color, so we replaced them. This year (3 years after the original planting), she called again and complained they ALL died.  Our guarantee covers replacement for ONE (1) YEAR for the material only.  We offered to provide the Materials but she has to pay for the labor and she declined.  
 
Attached, is a copy of our guarantee
 
Sincerely,
Designs By Lee

Review: I ordered 5 bushes (among other items) to be installed by Designs by Lee. When the plants bloomed, it turned out the flowers were the wrong color. After much discussion, Designs by Lee removed the plants and replaced them. The new plants did not survive. One representative from the business told me that they would replace the plants but it would take several weeks. 10 minutes later, another representative told me that they would NOT replace the plants unless I paid 50% of the replacement cost. The first representative then changed her story and agreed with the second.The company's policy is "Plants that fail to thrive will be replaced one time only free of charge. Labor to install such replacements will be billed at 50% of the original cost of the material." I am not asking for labor, just the plants. I will plant them myself.The first time the company replaced the plants it was not due to failure to thrive, in fact the plants were quite healthy, but it was because the company planted the WRONG PLANTS. I could not have known they were the wrong plants until they bloomed, which happened much later. This was their mistake, not mine.Now I am asking that the plants be replaced, according to their policy, due to failure to thrive, because the new plants actually did not survive within the guarantee period.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund of the cost of the plants ($85 each x 5 plants), or a replacement of the plants, which I will pick up from the store and plant myself.

Business

Response:

Re: Complaint ID [redacted]

Regarding the letter we received from the Revdex.com dated June 25, 2014, we would like to respond to this complaint.

Designs by Lee was contracted by [redacted] in June 2011 to plant 5 Rhododendrons. 2 years later, she called and complained it was the wrong color, so we replaced them. This year (3 years after the original planting), she called again and complained they ALL died. Our guarantee covers replacement for ONE (1) YEAR for the material only. We offered to provide the Materials but she has to pay for the labor and she declined.

Attached, is a copy of our guarantee

Sincerely,

Designs By Lee

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because it is not a resolution.

I agree that I did contract with the company to plant the rhododendron. The plants they provided were the wrong color. I didn't know they were the wrong color until they bloomed, which they did not do until the second year after they were planted. It's very possible that the business knew they were giving me the incorrect plants and removed the buds before they were planted to hide this information from me.

When the plants finally bloomed the following spring, I immediately informed Designs by Lee that they had provided me with the wrong color plants. The plants were perfectly healthy, but they were not the color I had contracted for.

The original incorrect plants were replaced at no charge to me--not because of Designs by Lee's guarantee, but because of the mistake they made in providing me with the incorrect plants. This replacement had nothing to do with their guarantee. It was because they made a mistake.

Four of the replacement plants subsequently died, within the specified guarantee of 1 year. When I contacted the business, first I was told that the plants would be replaced, but she didn't know how long it would take to get them in. Then I was told that I would have to pay half of the labor to re-install the plants. Then I was told that I would have to pay 50% of the price of the plants AND half the labor.

Not wanting to pay this business any more money than I already had, I said that I would pick up the plants myself and would not require the installation--and I would be willing to forgo any further guarantees, but I would not pay any more money. At this point the owner said that they would do absolutely nothing for me, and hung up the telephone.

I am willing to withdraw my complaint if Designs by Lee provides me with four healthy plants as promised in the original estimate, which I will pick up myself (unless they prefer to drop them off at my house), and I will forgo any further guarantees from the company, and will no longer communicate with the company for any reason.

Sincerely,